Here's What Happened To JFK's Clothes After He Was Shot
When former president John F. Kennedy was shot on November 22, 1963, he was wearing a black suit, a shirt, and a printed tie. As a result of the mess from the gunshot, his clothes became stained with blood. They also became a part of American history, and, because of this, Kennedy's clothes were not disposed of. Per the National Archives, the clothes Kennedy wore on the day of his death are in a container within a private, temperature-regulated area so they can be preserved as well as possible.
The clothes legally belong to the National Archives and Records Administration. As well as the former president's actual clothing, the National Archives took photos of the clothing so minute details could be preserved better for the future. Due to the clothing being given to the National Archives and Records Administration by deed of gift, there are binding rules referred to by the agency as "restraints of the gift" that prevent them from posting the photos online. Nevertheless, they can be viewed in person at one of the National Archives buildings in College Park, Maryland, and photos can be purchased, too.
The former president also had an item in his pocket
Though he wasn't wearing it at the time of his assassination, John F. Kennedy did have another accessory making up his outfit on that fateful day. Per White House History, he wore a different necktie while en-route to Texas but swapped it out just before he got into the limousine in which he would be assassinated. However, he put the original tie in his jacket pocket.
It isn't known why it wasn't locked away like the other items of clothing Kennedy was wearing, but the tie he wore during his flight was gifted to Preston Bruce, doorman of the White House. Jacqueline Kennedy herself gave the tie to Bruce, saying, "The president would have wanted you to have this," per White House History. Other than this gift from Jacqueline to Bruce, the rest of Kennedy's clothes remain sealed away for preservation purposes by the National Archives and Records Administration. As for the clothes Jacqueline Kennedy wore on the day of her husband's death, they remain in similar conditions to her husband's.
Both of the Kennedys were known for their style
Per The Guardian, Jacqueline Kennedy's iconic pink suit is kept in the National Archives and will be until at least 2103. Jacqueline wore the suit, still stained with John F. Kennedy's blood when Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in. Per Town & Country, Jacqueline's hat and gloves are not locked away with the other accessories from her outfit due to the fact they were lost. Though she did not intend for the pink suit to become associated with what it did, Jacqueline's style as well as her husband's was always a talking point.
In the years since his death, Kennedy has become known for his polished style. Notably, he eschewed the look of former presidents by opting for tailored suits in a slim cut rather than large-shouldered power suits. This went hand-in-hand with his image of being young, fit, and healthy, an image bolstered by the fact Jacqueline was only 31 when she became First Lady. This interest in the wardrobes of the presidential couple continued after Kennedy's death, evidenced by the fact people are still curious about where their clothes on that fateful day are now.